Never Lose Hope
by LifeAndDeathShinobi
Summary: Dedicated to the tragedy of Japan, Sasuke and Naruto used to live in Kirigakure with their families but after a terrible tsunami that destroyed everything, they at least got away. Will they ever reunite with their brothers or are they lost forever?
1. Pt I

**A/N: Hello, everyone. I know, I know. I have so much else on my plate that I shouldn't be publishing another story but I swear to you that this is only two chapters long. I was actually writing this last year when Japan's tsunami happened. But I never finished it. So in the one-year anniversary to that tragic event, I dedicate this story to that. And I will finish this by tomorrow. Just right now, enjoy this first chapter and let the feelings it expresses sink in.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters. Nor do I own the story. How I wish I did and rewrite it but no. I really wish I could though. I'm upset at Itachi and Sasuke….Anyway! Thank you for enjoying my other stories and taking the time to read this one. Thank you and please enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Never Lose Hope<strong>

"_Now that the tsunami has passed, it doesn't mean that the problems in Kirigakure are over just yet. There is still the devastation left behind by the destructive wave. Kirigakure is known to have tsunami cases and are always well prepared for such events to occur but this giant wave was the second biggest wave to have hit the village. Nearly ten years ago,-"_

But before the reported could fully start her story, a pale hand with the controls in his grip shuts it off.

"Thanks."

Looking down at the couch, Uchiha Sasuke looks at his best friend and his adoptive brother, Uzumaki Naruto still staring at the TV screen with dead azure eyes. Those eyes that usually hold so much life in them have turn cold and emotionless when that story came up. The young Uchiha understands the reason for that expression. He has the same look but unlike his usual happy friend, he always looks like that.

"I didn't want to hear it anymore than you," the Uchiha tells him, before tossing the controls to the other end of the couch from where the blonde is. Then he turns around and walks away. "Get up. It's dinner time."

"Right," Naruto sighs before lifting himself up and following his friend.

Things became silent between them after that. They didn't say a word as they approach the dining table and start eating their meals: Naruto pork ramen with extra garnishes and Sasuke left over pizza with mariana sauce. Though no matter how hungry they were before, they just lost their appetites after seeing that brief news cast.

"Has it really been ten years?" the spiky hair blonde seventeen year old finally asks softly as he was swirling the noodles in the ramen _daichi(soup base)_. All that does is cause a sigh to escape the raven hair's lips.

"Naruto, don't. I wanna eat."

That last part was a lie but the teenager finally lifts up his pizza, after being untouched for a good ten minutes, and takes a bite out of it just to prove the lie. Naruto knows that his friend lied to him but yet again, he should have known better than to have brought it up. He knows how taboo that time was, for both of them. And so, he finally stops playing and starts eating himself before his noodles get any soggy than they already are. At least the food is still warm enough to eat.

It's truly been ten years for them.

Ten years since the worst tsunami to have ever hit Kirigakure, their homeland.

Ten years since they left in order to survive.

Ten years since they stayed together after they lost everything.

Ten years since they've been separated from their most important person.

_K-Knock, k-k-knock_

Hearing the sound of the front door knocking, both teenagers tear their attention away from their food and to the door. With a knock like that, they already know who it is.

"Naruto, go answer the door," Sasuke orders, going back to his pizza. The blonde glares at him for a moment before lifting himself from the table and doing as he's told. It's useless to try and argue with the guy now, especially in the kind of mood he's in. If Naruto has any desire for life at all, then the best course of action is to listen.

On the other side of the door, it's exactly who the two teenagers expected it to would be. Hyuuga Hinata; a sweet girl who has been their friend every since they came to Konoha and who works with them at the Rescue Medical Ward they volunteer at. But what's curious about her is how she looks in front of Naruto. She looks like she just ran a mile just to get here; even though they know she had the night shift tonight and the Medical Ward is only a few blocks away from Naruto's and Sasuke's apartment. She's panting, she's heaving, her face is damp from sweat, and some strands of her long midnight hair are stuck to the side of her face. What on earth could have happened for her to look like this?

"Hinata? What's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happened?"

Did a weirdo try to approach her on her way home or something? Or does Naruto or Sasuke have to work the night shift as well? But that last one is highly doubtful. Naruto may be the scatter brain but there's no way Sasuke would forget when him or Naruto have to help. So why is she here?

"N…N….Naruto-kun!" she was able to call out, even though her voice sounded like she gasped out his name.

Out of consideration for her, the teenage blonde tells her, "Easy, easy there, Hinata. Take your time."

But she exclaims to him with her soft but strong breathless voice, "Naruto-kun, tomorrow when the next groups of people come flying in Kirigakure, your brother is coming!"

As soon as she said that, not only did Naruto's blue eyes go wide, his face blanked out of any emotion besides shock, and both his brain and his voice just left his body, Sasuke drops the crust of his pizza on his plate. It just slipped right out of his fingers. Hinata was expecting the expression on Naruto's face and she waited patiently for him to say anything about her words. She didn't care how long she waited. She knows that the words are a great deal of shock for him since he hasn't seen his brother in ten years.

Naruto's heart is pounding in his chest. Practically ready to burst out of his ribcage and do a dance of joy after he gets over the body paralyzing, mind blanking shock. All of a sudden, his entire body is shaking; as if every fast heartbeat sends ripples throughout his body. It took him a really long time to find his voice again but when he did, all he could say was, "R…Really…?" His voice may have been small when he spoke but the desperation and need for truth were in there. Hinata quickly nodded.

"Y-Yes!...His name was on the list. He's not a wounded citizen so he won't be sent to the ward."

But all Naruto is able to progress from her words is, "He…He's alive? My brother's alive?" His voice got stronger that time. As he waits for Hinata to open her sweet, innocent mouth again to say the words he hope for, Sasuke stands up from the table.

Hinata answers, "Yes. Uzumaki Kyuubi-kun is alive."

Then a smile forms on the blonde's face.

"Oh my god!" He hugs Hinata and lifts her up from the ground so he could twirl her around in circles. Her face instantly blew up red from embarrassment of him hugging her. She's not used to this kind of stuff but at the moment, who the heck cares? Naruto laughs in his joy and there are tears starting to peak out from the corner of his eyes.

He just couldn't believe it. After ten years of waiting…ten years of not knowing…ten years of wondering, his brother is alive and he's coming to Konoha. Yes, ten years is a long time but Naruto was seven when he left his homeland. He was far too young to do anything about going back to Kirigakure and actually looking. He was left to wait and wait for every disappointing news that his brother was yet to be found; physically. There have been days when Naruto lost hope and actually thought his brother was lost forever but after hearing this, it was like years of tears and pain are finally being paid off for this one moment. Real life has been brought back into his eyes and is now pumping through his veins like an adrenalin rush.

But after a couple of turns, Naruto's laughter stops, his smile disappears, and realization quickly replaces the happiness on his face. He just remembered that he wasn't the only one waiting.

Quickly, the blonde puts down the cherry red flushed raven hair girl and with his hands on her arms and his azure eyes staring directly into her pale white ones, he quickly asks, "Is there anyone else, Hinata? Were there any Uchihas on that list as well?"

Hinata only had a moment to progress the fact that he just asked her a desperate question but she didn't have a moment more to remember and answer. Sasuke appears behind Naruto, breaks the grip he has on her and shoves him back into the apartment before slamming the door right in Hinata's face. Then he walks away back to his food on the table. Naruto looks back and forth between the closed door and his adoptive brother; the shock and disbelief clearly visible on his face.

"The hell, Sasuke?" the blonde screams before quickly opening the door and kindly telling Hinata, "Hold that thought, Hinata." Then he slams the door on her and turns to the teenage Uchiha as he picks up his plate of food and tosses the remains in the trash. "What on earth is wrong with you? You don't just slam the door into people's faces like that!"

"You did."

As he washes his dishes, Naruto is left there standing for a moment in realization of what he just did. Sasuke's got him there.

"That's not the point, teme!" Naruto yells after quickly recovering. "What the hell is your problem?"

"What is my problem?" Sasuke asks, repeating the blonde's words. There he drops his plate in the sink, turns off the water, and turns around to face his brother and he answers, "What's my problem is you asking useless questions like that! 'Were there any Uchihas on the list?' Give me a goddamn freakin break! The Uchihas are extinct! End of story!" After he said that, he intended to turn around and walk away to his room but Naruto caught his shoulder when he only turned his back to him.

"Sasuke!"

The Uchiha turns around and knocks Naruto's hand off his shoulder in reaction when he grabbed him but the blonde quickly tells him, "They are not extinct! You're just saying that because for the past ten years, every time someone tells you that they found a relative, they found a body. Some you never even met before!"

"And how many members of my family have been found dead? Twenty? Fifty? My family is dead so drop it!"

"You don't know that because there's one body that they haven't found yet!"

"And they never will because he was washed away by that tsunami!"

"But if my brother is alive then Itachi-"

As soon as he said that name, Sasuke grabs the collar of his shirt and slams him to the wall. Hinata, who can hear everything that's going on from the other side of the door, gasps and jumps from the sound of something banging against the wall. She can imagine Sasuke holding Naruto against it in a death grip with the promise of excruciating pain shown in his onyx eyes; or crimson red eyes since they have the tendency to change color when he gets upset. That's what makes his unspoken threat so terrifying than his spoken one. But as Naruto is left to look into those eyes, he tries to look at him with no fear but no matter how long he's lived with the guy, the Uchiha can be one very frightening demon.

"If you don't shut that damn mouth of yours, I'll shut it for you! Now you listen to me, usuratonkachi. My brother is dead! He's been dead for ten years and they will never find his body! I've already given up that they ever will so stop pestering me about it! Just go pick up your own damn brother in the morning and never mention my brother's name again! Live a happy and joyful life with your family and leave me the fuckin hell alone!" Then with that, he slams Naruto against the wall again before dropping him and storming off. Naruto was still stunned by his eyes to try and stop him. The angry raven marches off to his room and slams the door before locking it behind him. Instead of feeling anger or irritation towards him, all there is on the blonde's face is pure sadness and sympathy.

"Sasuke…"

On the other side of Sasuke's bedroom door, the teenager didn't go to his bed to kick a counter and then sit on his bed with his fingers through his hair and his eyes leaning against the palm of his hands. It would have been understandable if he did but he didn't. He couldn't make it to his bed. He leans against the door and he stares up at the ceiling with the anger wiped off his face. In fact, there's hardly any emotion on his face right now.

Because he's remembering that day.

* * *

><p><em>Ten years ago, Kirigakure…<em>

"_Itachi, hurry up!" Kyuubi screamed at his friend. Waiting at the doors of the thirty story building, the thirteen year old Uzumaki stands alone at the glass door, ready to let the doors automatically close once his best friend and his little brother get inside. The only problem is every second it takes for them to get here, the water keeps rising up at least an inch every time and who knows when these doors are going to suddenly closed rather someone is in the way or not._

_Uchiha Itachi is at least three buildings away from Kyuubi and the Uchiha's little brother is clinging onto his leg for dear life. To the seven year old boy, the water is already above his knees. The freezing ocean water has soak his shoes and socks to the point it feels as though they're going to slip right off his little feet if he keeps moving. Half of his short khaki pants is sticking to his scrawny legs and parts of his long black sleeves are damp from the water. He's shivering and his eyes are shining with tears of fear and confusion. He pulls on his older brother's sleeve and calls, "Nii-san, where is mother and father?"_

_The older Uchiha was watching the current to when it wouldn't be so rough so the little child at his side could reach Kyuubi without hurting himself when he heard his little brother's little voice. When he looked down at the boy after hearing that question, his surprised expression was the first thing the boy saw before sorrow and guilt took over. It was only for a moment but Sasuke was confused when he saw it. His older brother then kneeled before him and with his hands on the boy's shoulder, he answers, "I don't know, otouto, but I swear to you that we are going to find them. Just right now, you have to be strong for me and for them, alright?" His hands even smooth their way up to Sasuke's cheeks, caressing them assuringly._

_Now Sasuke may have been a child then but from that one expression he saw, he could tell that his big brother believed their parents to already be dead more than he believed they might still be alive. But like him, Itachi wasn't sure himself which way it was._

_But before the boy could respond to him, the doors Kyuubi was standing in between to keep open started to automatically close. When the dark blonde notice, instantly he faced one door, leaned his back against the one behind him and used his hands and one foot to keep the two doors apart. He tries to keep the doors to stay open but they're strong. They push against him as he does against them. He grunted from the strength of technology before he yells out, "UCHIHA! HURRY YOUR ASS UP!"_

_Itachi and Sasuke look up towards him and the older of the two instantly reacts as soon as he sees Kyuubi's position. Forget waiting and watching when some huge object like a vending machine or car wouldn't come flowing by, Itachi picks Sasuke up and runs. The boy clings onto his older brother and keeps his eyes shut, extremely terrified out of his mind. Yes, Kirigakure is known for its tsunamis but in all of Sasuke's life, there was never one as bad as this one. There was never a tsunami that was big enough to reach the center of the city where he lived._

_Itachi runs all the way to the doors and he puts Sasuke down. "Go inside, Sasuke," he tells the boy._

_Getting the wrong idea and letting his feelings control his mind, Sasuke quickly asks, "What about you? Nii-san, you're not going to leave me, right?"_

_Before the older Uchiha could answer, Kyuubi yells, "Just get inside, Sasuke!"_

"_I'll be right behind you. Go!" Without another word wasted, Itachi turns Sasuke around and pushes him inside from under Kyuubi's one risen leg that's used to keep the door open._

_However when the boy was pushed in, he wasn't watching out for his feet. As he was going by, his foot caught Kyuubi's ankle and he pulled. With the force of the water, it was easy for Kyuubi to lose his standing and trip. He lost his grip on the door and was falling forward towards Itachi. When the doors closed, they might slam on his neck or his chest. Itachi couldn't have that and to save his friend, he pushes Kyuubi back inside the building and yanks his own hand away before the door closed on him. Kyuubi landed on Sasuke in the water but instantly got off the boy before he could drown._

"_You alright?" Kyuubi asks as the little Uchiha coughs the water he accidently swallowed when he went under._

_Instead of answering, the boy asks, "Where's nii-san?"_

_Kyuubi sharply turns back to the door and he sees his best friend on the other side of them. He quickly gets up and tries to force them open but to no success. Itachi sees this and he knows that neither his friend nor their little brothers would have enough time to get to the top if they stay down here. On the top of this building is a helicopter that will take them to safety. If they stay here helping him, they won't make it._

"_Just go, Kyuubi!" Itachi yells at him from the other side. Both Sasuke's and Kyuubi's eyes widen when he said that._

"_What are you? Crazy?" the orange blonde asks, still trying to open the doors._

"_You're not going to have enough time! Just take Sasuke and go!"_

"_Nii-san!"_

_Both teenagers look down at the voice and they see Sasuke at the glass doors as well and he's pounding on them. "You have to come with us! I'm not leaving without you!"_

_So much pain and so much angst appeared on the Uchiha's face when he heard his little brother say this. For the moment, he ignores Kyuubi and kneels down in front of his little brother again but now with a glass door standing between them. Witnessing this, Kyuubi realizes that this is going to be Itachi's last good bye to his little brother. It's too late for him now._

"_Sasuke, I need you to listen to me," Itachi starts, remaining firm and serious like the older brother that he is. "Go with Kyuubi to the helicopter and stay with him."_

"_No!" Sasuke screams, now with tears burning his eyes and leaking out from the corner. "I'm not going without you! You have to come with us! You have to!"_

_But all the older Uchiha does is smile with eyes so full of love and adoration for him. This widens Sasuke's eyes even more and for his heart to pound in his heart. No, no, no! This can't happen!_

"_Be good, otouto."_

_Then right before the boy's eyes, a vending machine comes with the swift current and hits Itachi away from Sasuke's view. Both Kyuubi and the younger Uchiha didn't see that coming and they are left in greater shock as their best friend or brother is washed away in the current with every other loose machines or contraptions flouting in the water. The last thing any of them could see of the Uchiha before he completely disappeared from their view was his hand reaching up before it sink down into the water, along with the rest of his body that has already gone under._

"_NII-SAN!" Sasuke pushes himself up from the ground and tried running to the other side as if trying to run to his brother's aid and save him. But Kyuubi instantly wrap his arms around the smaller, now sobbing child and hold him back. "No, nii-san!"_

"_Sasuke, it's too late! We need to get to the helicopter!"_

"_No! No! Nii-san! NII-SAN!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Come on! Hurry up before the plane is full!"<em>

_With his hand grasping his little brother, Kyuubi pulls Naruto with him towards the giant plane that will fly itself and all of its passengers to Konoha. With every second that goes by, the plane is just filling up with so many people all at once. In one moment, ten people would be onboard. From how it looks, there are five plans that could carry thousands of people away from Kirigakure but there are millions of people here, wanting to get on to save their lives. The Uzumaki brothers were fortunate and were close to one of the planes before too many people arrived on it. However right when they stop at the entrance and Kyuubi was going to turn around and pick his little seven year old brother up to put him inside, he notices that there is one thing missing._

"_Where is Sasuke?" he asks in a panic._

_As if just noticing as well, little Naruto turned around frantically and replied to his brother, "He was right beside me! Teme! Where are you?"_

_Not only was Kyuubi extremely worried about the younger Uchiha's disappearance, he was also starting to get a bit irritated. He knows that Sasuke wouldn't let someone just kidnap him or run him over without voicing it out so that means that the boy deliberately stopped himself somewhere and is standing somewhere. What also irritated the dark orange head was the fact that he lost the younger Uchiha after just being entrusted with him from his best friend. After Itachi was swept away from the current, Kyuubi had to carry the struggling Uchiha boy up the stairs to the roof of the building and make it to the helicopter where Naruto was already inside and practically pleaded the driver not to leave without his brother and his best friend. Sasuke kept screaming for Itachi the entire time and only when they finally arrived at the airport did he stop. Now he's gone and made a disappearance._

_Similar to what happened at the building with the helicopter, Kyuubi kneeled to his brother and turned him around as Naruto was still calling for his best friend. "Naruto, listen to me. I need you to get inside the plane and wait for me and Sasuke, okay? I'm going to go look for him and tell the driver not to leave without us."_

"_Just like last time?"_

"_Yes. Just like last time." Pulling the boy close for one more hug, Kyuubi holds the little boy desperately in his arms. They are the last of their family and now they will have to part for a brief moment once again. After watching Sasuke lose his older brother, who knows what will happen? It was like watching Itachi get swept away opened Kyuubi's eyes to the possibilities of any kind of dreadful thing happening. For all he knew, this might be the last time he'll be able to hold Naruto like this. Despite knowing this, he can't let that stop him. He'll look for Sasuke, drag that little butt to the plane, and get on it so he could keep his promise to Itachi and take care of them both. It's his obligation as an older brother and a friend._

_After hugging Naruto for a good moment, giving the boy a brief chance to hug him back, Kyuubi picked him up and put him inside the plane before running off to go find that little raven head. Naruto watched from inside the plane, kneeling besides the far end of the door to get out of other people's way and have a good view of his older brother running off into the crowd trying to move in the opposite direction._

_Running through that crowd was like a fish trying to swim upstream when the current was going in the opposite direction. Kyuubi had to shove and push so many people, yell at the top of his lungs, and frantically look around as if the entire airport was on fire. The tsunami may not have reached the airport yet but with the reports everyone has received, the tsunami will come. Which is why everyone is so desperate to get on those planes. Otherwise, there might not be any safe places for them to be until the tsunami had run its course. This truly is the worst tsunami Kirigakure has ever encountered._

_After at least five minutes, or maybe longer since it felt that way thanks to Kyuubi's anxiety, the older Uzumaki finally found the Uchiha boy standing by himself with his head low, his shoulders slump, and his little fists gripping the hem of his shirt. Found him but Kyuubi is more annoyed than relieve to find him._

"_Sasuke! What the hell are you doing?" he asked, approaching the boy before he's kneeling before the child. Pointing to the plane he just left Naruto on, he yells, "We need to get on that plane now before it gets filled up. We need to go, NOW!"_

"_No!" Sasuke yelled back. "I'm not going anywhere! Nii-san is still here and I'm not leaving his body behind."_

_It would have been a lie if Kyuubi claimed he wasn't surprised by the boy's words. Soon, that surprise became that of sorrow and grief. Against his better nature, he tries to be calm as he says, "Sasuke, listen to me. We need to get on that plane now before it leaves. We need to get out of here before the tsunami reaches this spot."_

"_No! I'm not leaving nii-san behind! I wanna die so I could join him and our parents in heaven. What's the point of anything if nii-san isn't here with me anymore?"_

_Trying to be nice didn't last long. Kyuubi is fully annoyed. "Sasuke, I want you to listen to me, alright! If that tsunami comes here, then you will be in mortal danger. Your brother wouldn't want that!" Sasuke eyes widen when he heard that and his head snaps back up to the dark orange blonde. Kyuubi grasped the boy's arms and told him right in the eye, "I believe Itachi is alive. I know that it may not look like he survived but I truly believe he is still out there. Your brother is too stubborn to let death take him away from you. He cares about you and he will fight to stay alive and see you again. But until then, the first thing we have to do is keep you alive and out of harm's way. Do you think he would want you to stay here if it means endangering your life? I'm as hell know that he wouldn't! Now you can either come with me to the plane willingly or I'll just have to drag you to it myself!"_

_Without another word, Kyuubi grabs Sasuke's hand and pulls the stunned child with him as he runs back to the plane. When the two of them arrive, they see and hear Naruto pleading a man with his hand on a latch near the door while another with the same uniform as the one Naruto is talking to is keeping all of the other people back._

"_But you can't! My brother and my friend are still out there! You can't close the door now!"_

"_I'm sorry, kid," the man told him. "We can't accept any more people or we'll be too heavy to leave. They'll just have to go on the other planes."_

"_But none of them are going to Konohagakure! We can't leave them!"_

_When Kyuubi heard that, he at first couldn't believe it but then he did everything without thinking. He stop to pick Sasuke up and he run even faster to the plane. Because of his swiftness, he was able to run pass through all of those men in uniform to at the very least toss Sasuke inside. Naruto and that man saw Sasuke flying in and they hear, "Another sixty pounds isn't going to kill you. Just take him and go!"_

_Naruto became horrified when he heard his brother say that as Sasuke is in shock because now things are beginning to sound like how they did when Itachi was taken away from him. Turning around, he was just in time to see Naruto rush to the edge and yell to Kyuubi, "No, Kyuubi-nii! Come with us, please!"_

"_If I go with you, I will put your life in danger, Naruto. What kind of big brother would I be if I let that happen?" He said that last part with his famous smug grin on his face. He's trying to brave and show off to his little brother but to Naruto, he's just being stupid._

"_You idiot! Get inside!" he screams, more desperate than anything right now. But Kyuubi doesn't make a move. He only grins at the boy._

_One of the other men in uniform enter the plane and told his comrade, "We have to leave now! Close the doors!" Nodding in understanding, the man Naruto was pleading to earlier pulls down on the lever and the door begins to lift itself up and close. When he heard it move, Naruto gasped and then tried to run to his brother._

"_Kyuubi-nii!"_

_Seeing him running, Sasuke quickly gets up and rushes to Naruto much quicker and grabs the boy – doing the same thing Kyuubi did to him when Itachi was taken away from him. Naruto struggles and screams even more, "No! Let me go! Kyuubi-nii! Onii-san!"_

_Hearing that, it just made the grin wider into the smile and the last thing both boys head Kyuubi say to them before the doors shut was, "Be good, both of you! And watch out for each other! Itachi and I will come and find you soon! I promise!"_

_Then the doors shut and that became the last time either one of them have seen the older Uzumaki every again._

"_No! Onii-san! ONII-SAN!"_

* * *

><p>Naruto's screams echo in the young Uchiha's mind over and over as that last memory played in his head. That memory soon began to fade itself out and not to long after it did, Sasuke's legs weaken and his back slides against the door before collapsing on the ground. His face still only looks up at the ceiling but by the time he's on the floor, silent tears have already rolled down his face – dripping down his chin and endlessly falling.<p>

"Nii-san…" his voice sounded broken when he spoke out that name.

All of it, he blames it all on himself. If his foot didn't cause Kyuubi to trip back then, then Itachi wouldn't have been left outside and if Sasuke didn't stop in a suffocating crowd and cause Kyuubi to look for him, then they both would have been on that plane and arrive in Konoha together with Konoha. It was all his fault, Sasuke thought. If he wasn't such a stubborn child…If he was more careful…It he wasn't such a burden to them… So many 'if's but none of it could be able to change the past. Not that it would matter much anyway. Kyuubi would be coming tomorrow and him and Naruto would he happily reunited. Those two would be together after a decade of worry, false hopes, and shaken spirits. They will have their happily ever after but while they do, Sasuke would be left alone with his guilt and shame. It's what he deserves after all. For what he's done. All of this pain wouldn't have happened if it weren't for him.

At least, that's what he believes.

On the other side of his room door, Naruto is talking to Hinata at the open front door and the blonde asks, "Are you sure?"

Sadly, Hinata nods. "I'm sorry but I only saw the list at a glance. I wasn't handed the list and all I saw was Uzumaki Kyuubi. I didn't see an Uchiha Itachi or any Uchihas."

Naruto looks down at the ground when he heard that disappointing news. His older brother promised him that the two of them, Itachi and him, would come back for them. But it's only him. Sasuke's brother is still missing. Or is he really dead with his remains somewhere in the ocean?

"Thank you, Hinata. Go home and get some rest."

The shy, sweet girl asks him, "Is Sasuke-kun going to be alright?" The defeated frown on Naruto's face didn't seem assuring in the least.

"I don't know."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm pretty sure that some of that tragic stuff wouldn't likely happen but I heard it was a time of dreaded separation so I was trying to think of something as tragic as I can. But how was it? Bad? Good? It was disrespectful? Let me know. One more chapter and this will be on my very small list of completed stuff. Till tomorrow!<strong>


	2. Pt II

**A/N: Hello people! Finally I'm done and I can at last add this to my short list of finished stories! Ha! That's an accomplishment of a life time at the rate I'm going! I know that I published earlier but I decided, just combine them. I know I can be bi-polar sometimes or really I can't make my mind up with anything.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. If I did, the reunion between Sasuke and Itachi would have been a little sweeter instead of leaving me with this nagging feeling of 'Sasuke, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE GUN POWDER!' I dedicate this chapter to the Tsunami of Japan and hope they will clear out the nuclear waste soon. Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Pt. 2<p>

To say that Naruto was nervous would be the understatement of a life time.

Here he is, waiting at the Konoha airport along with several other people who have been waiting for love ones for weeks or for just as long as him and Naruto is frozen stiff. Never mind that the day is hot when it's not even noon yet and he's standing outside, cooking himself up. Similar to when he first came to Konoha, the plane that will be coming from Kirigakure will come and instead of landing to the tunnel that will lead the passengers inside, it will unleash its staircase and the passengers will be greeted by Konoha's burning sun instead of the cool air condition. But yet again, those air condition airports are for if you were taking a vacation plane. Not a giant rescue plane or a smaller, more comfortable rescue plane.

After filling out the papers that he is Uzumaki Kyuubi's relative, here to pick him up and declare him as a Konoha resident from now on, all Naruto is left to do is wait until the plane comes from the other side of the gate, along with everyone else. Right now, his mind feels like a total blank. He doesn't know what's going to happen when the plane arrives. Will the reunion be good? Awkward? To someone who is about to reunite with his precious blood relative after so long, one would also be excited and filled with so much relief that he would feel like the world would be right again once he has that person safely in his arms. But who can blame him for feeling extremely nervous and also scared? After ten long years, he is going to reunite with the brother he thought he had lost forever. He was separated from Kyuubi when he was a child and even though now he's an adult, who practically survived on his own and has his own life, all of a sudden he feels like a little kid again. What would really make him feel better would be that he wasn't here alone. If Sasuke was here, the only other person he knows personally who has gone through what he has, it would have made Naruto feel so much better but he can't. One, because it wouldn't be fair to him since after today, Sasuke would continue to feel the pain of loss while Naruto won't; and two, Sasuke had left to work at the Rescue Medical Ward before the blonde even woke up this morning. Naruto would have asked Hinata to be with him but she worked late last night and he couldn't possibly ask her to be with him when she was probably tired to the bones. Anyone else the blonde knows would either be working with Sasuke right now or they wouldn't be the right person to have for this moment.

_Fwoosh_

Looking up to the sound of an airplane flying by, Naruto, along with everyone else, sees an airplane coming close to land but not the plane they're all waiting for. While others look away, Naruto continues to watch it as it lands not too far away from where he's at and moves into a different direction. He knows where that plane is going. The airport here is connected to the Rescue Medical Ward and that plane probably has all of the still breathing victims of Kirigakure in critical condition who need Konoha's special medical treatment. Those are going to be the people that Sasuke and everyone else that they know are going to be working with while Naruto stays here to be with Kyuubi again. At least he knows that his brother is coming here safely and not on that medical plane. Another good news is now that the medical plane has already arrive, it won't be too long now till the next plane comes and this time with people who him and everyone else here have been waiting for.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke, report!"<p>

Quickly looking through the victim's clipboard, the teen responds, "Kaguya Kimimaro. Twenty years old. Height, 166.1 centimeters. Weight, 49.8 kilograms. Orphaned but life-long friend coming in from the next plane. No allergies but has osteogenesis. Stable head trauma when he left Kirigakure but ten broken ribs and the plane ride here just caused his bones to sever a vital organ. His lungs are drowning in blood from the inside."

Nodding in understanding of the situation, head nurse Shizune replies to him, "Thank you, Sasuke." Then she turns to the other workers helping her push the stretcher of the blood covered, barely conscious man and yells, "This man needs surgery now!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

By then they have gone sprinting off, leaving Sasuke to slow in his fast pace to keep up with them. The plane that just delivered the sick and the wounded only had twenty people today and that was the last one. Sasuke practically spent fifteen minutes helping give reports for at least fifteen of those people. He's quick to read each victim's personal medical information and immediately give small summaries of what's wrong with them. For not being a certified nurse yet, all he's pretty much good for is the quick reports and the suppliants of medicine and assistance when asked for it. He can't do anything on his own yet. Now he just has to wait till someone calls his name, demanding something.

"You know instead of using that word, you could have just said he has brittle bone disease."

The Uchiha didn't have to guess on who just spoke to them. He knows one other person in this place who would talk to him so calm and smug and running around, wheezing and panting. Still, he looks to the side and he sees the second loudest, most obnoxious person he's ever met; Hozuki Suigetsu. He just leans up against a pillar, hidden from view and with a water bottle in his hand. With a toothy grin, he waves at the guy who's finally looking at him and seeing that he's not working at all. Sure, at the moment all of the victims pretty much has other people working on them and Suigetsu is the same age as Sasuke so he can't work unless he's asked to but…

"Do I need to ask why you're hiding, Suigetsu?" Sasuke asks, his voice sounding professional and also hard as a sign that he's scolding the lazy white hair teenager.

Just like Sasuke, Suigetsu arrived from Kirigakure at least three years ago. He was sent to the medical ward for being trapped in a car when the tsunami hit. He had a deep gash in his chest and several glasses pieces imbedded into his body. Kirigakure gave him some morphine to help with the pain but they knew that he needed extreme surgery that only Konoha could offer. He just barely made it and when he woke up, it was to Sasuke's counseling. At that time, the Uchiha as well as Naruto were only allowed to patients rooms as people they would like to talk to since they went through similar experiences. Probably waking up to Sasuke's face is the reason why Suigetsu can get pretty attached to the Uchiha when he decided to. It annoys the raven head sometimes but other times, he just ignores him.

"I'm just on my break, Sasuke. No need to get all fussy."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Sasuke says, "You take a break every five minutes just so you can drink that water you're so obsessed with."

"Water is the world's most natural drink. Nature created it so why would I want to destroy my beautiful body with artificial flavors and harmful chemicals?"

And one would think that after being trapped in a car with severe injuries, he would be terrified of water since he was nearly killed by it.

Obviously, Suigetsu wants to be annoying today. That is something Sasuke most certainly does not need. Not even bothering to sigh, Sasuke just says to him, "Do what you like," then he turn away to leave and see if anyone would notice him and ask for his assistance. At least then, he can keep himself busy and away from this guy. He needs to keep his mind of things. Gotta keep working, and make sure that no one makes his mood worst than it already is.

But he didn't even get very far until he felt Suigetsu's ice cold hand grab his arm. Turning over to look, the white hair, sharp-tooth teen asks him, "Okay, what's wrong?" almost sounding serious and sincere. That's a personal first for him.

"Nothing is wrong," Sasuke as calmly as he can replies.

Since he can tell that the guy isn't going to run away any time soon, Sasuke would have shrugged his arm off by now if that was the case, Suigetsu releases his friend's arm and he crosses his arms this time. "Now that's a lie. Sasuke, I know you long enough to know that you're more moody today than usual."

It's not noticeable? Then god damn. "It's none of your business so drop it," Sasuke snaps.

"Then how about telling me why Naruto isn't here? Usually, I would be hearing some kind of catastrophic disaster right about now."

"Isn't it nice? Naruto is at the airport for his brother to come."

Suigetsu is not one to become easily shocked. He would just take something that's out of whack calmly and just went along with it. Like if a child just walked by and puck on him for no good reason, he would just shrug it off after giving the kid a whack on the head and then going off to change the shirt. Even if Karin, one of Sasuke's biggest fans and the one that acts like an annoying little sister to Suigetsu, suddenly came up to the sharp-tooth teen and confess her love to him, he would ask if she has a fever and then let the news sink in without freaking out about it. However to hear that Naruto's ten-year missing brother is coming to Konoha, that is definitely something one couldn't just take in so calmly. "No way! His brother's alive?"

Wonderful. One of the two things Sasuke didn't want to happened today just happened. His mood just got worst. "Yes, and now that you know, I don't want to hear about it for you or anyone else's mouth. This ward doesn't need any more patients than it already has."

Suigetsu is not one to feel threatened by Sasuke than he is to get shocked easily, but even he can tell that right now the Uchiha means it. The guy is really willing to beat anyone half to death if they so much as mentioned the Uzumaki's heartwarming reunion. At least Suigetsu has smarts enough to know when Sasuke is actually serious, serious; shut up.

"Sasuke?"

Now that's a little unexpected. When the two teenagers heard Sasuke's name being called, they both turn around to see Karin facing them but she has her wide ruby eyes staring behind her square glasses at the Uchiha. Usually seeing her staring at him is not so much of a surprise, but even Suigetsu has to admit that her dumbstruck expression is unusual for her to have when seeing the raven head.

Approaching the two of them, she slowly gets over her surprise so that she could ask, "Sasuke, what are you doing here? Didn't you get the phone call this morning?"

Now this is a little confusing to the Uchiha. If he didn't know better, Karin almost sounds anxious and concerned instead of going all goo-goo eyed and using that ear-piercing screech of hers. Raising his brow at her strange behavior, Sasuke responds, "I left my apartment around five-thirty this morning. Why?"

Suigetsu turns to him and asks, "Seriously? Why in the world would you torture yourself getting up that early?"

Ignore him and resist the urge to knock his teeth out. It was just a question about sleep habits. Not the other one…

Ignoring him as well, Karin tries to say, "But Sasuke, you don't need to be here today. You need to be somewhere else. That's why we asked extra people to help out today."

Now that explains the extra people and why Sasuke and Suigetsu appear to be unneeded despite the amount of patients they have.

Usually when people are told that they are not needed for work and for their case, it would mostly likely mean that those who know decide to give both Naruto and Sasuke the day off because of something important. Today's case, Kyuubi's return. Trying to abstain himself as much as he's able to from hitting a girl, and the third ranking nurse in the medical ward, Sasuke tells her in cold hard voice, "Karin, if you're referring to Kyuubi coming back, Naruto doesn't need me to with him when that plane lands."

Then Karin says something really unexpected and shocking to both teenagers. "But Uzumaki Kyuubi isn't the only one who's coming here, Sasuke! You need to get to the airport section, immediately! The plane just landed."

What…

…what is she talking about?

* * *

><p>If Naruto thought he was as frozen as a statue because of nerves earlier, he's now ready to faint if someone so much as says one word to him in his direction.<p>

The gates between him, along with the people he's been waiting with for almost an hour, and the giant plane that just landed is going to be open really soon and now the blonde really does feel like he can't do this. Everyone else is getting excited but he just feels like a time-bomb ready to explode as soon as he sees what could be assumed as his brother's face. One would think that when someone tells you that your long lost relative is coming, they would send a picture of what they look like so that relatives can at least get an idea of what they look like.

Maybe Kyuubi wouldn't look so different. The last time Naruto saw him, yes, Kyuubi had just hit teenager but he still had the many features of a boy. His cheeks were still a bit chubby and his bright ruby red eyes were still big on his face, his skin as tan as mocha frappuccino, his caramel golden hair was cut to resemble a demon Kabuki dancer – which Naruto never really understood why his brother did that but still thought that it was cool; and his body figure was scrawny from all of the running he loved to do to burn off that hyper energy of his. For those that think Naruto is hyper-active, just wait till they meet Kyuubi. If he's still the same that is.

That was another problem, what if Kyuubi isn't the same Kyuubi Naruto used to know? It has been ten years after all. Maybe Kyuubi matured and calmed down from his craziness or maybe Kyuubi gained an extra brain and comes back looking like a geek instead of the badass punk he tried to be in middle school. Now Naruto is really concerned. He's still worried if the reunion between them is going to be something right out of movies or extremely awkward. None of these things are helping Naruto out in the least.

Especially now since the plane is opening its doors for the passengers to come out.

"Daddy!"

"Anko! Anko, honey!"

"Oh my gosh, Nagato!"

"Nagato! Over here, buddy!"

As the crowd begins to now explode in their own excitement, Naruto suddenly feels like he's in a horde of wild animals. The only thing keeping them all back is the gate but when he turns to the side, he sees that the security guards are opening the gate. Instantly as soon as the gates even open just a little bit, people start running out and they all rush towards their loved ones and the people they just called out to. Naruto didn't stand a chance because he was pushed to the ground and people literally started running over him. Few seconds later after the crowd was gone and scattered as well as the dust in the air settling back down to the ground, Naruto is found lying face down on the floor, dead. Not literally but it feels like it.

One security guard rushes up to him and asks, "Are you alright, sir?" But he doesn't move any closer to help Naruto up. It took a few moments for the blonde to so much as twitch a finger.

"I'm good," he responds, giving the security guard a thumbs-up that he's okay. Then he lifts himself up from the ground to at least a sitting position and he shakes his head a little to make sure that he's thinking straight and not having a concussion from what just happened. Seeing that he's okay, the security guard just shrugs his shoulders and decides to leave the spiky blonde to collect himself.

When Naruto looks up at the scene before him, he sees a many wondrous and amazing things happening before him. He sees old friends talking to each other in relief before hugging in their joy of being safe at last. He sees some senior citizens being smothered in kisses and hugs from their children who have grown up and started creating a family of their own, and he sees couples reuniting after what must've been their dreadful separation. They hug and kiss plus repeating the words 'I love you' over and over again to each other. So many people are happy now. Even those who don't have families that came to greet them look happy to be in safer lands. The Uzumaki heard that trying to become a Konoha citizen takes some time unless you were in the emergency situations like how Sasuke and Naruto were when they first came. Some even took years but besides that point, everyone just looks so happy to be here and that brings a sweet smile on the blonde's face.

But then that smile disappears when he looks towards the plane.

There are still people getting out, probably some that have been sitting in the back of the plane and now that the crowd is gone and some things kind of settled down, they're all exiting without getting run over like Naruto. But there is one person who catches Naruto's attention. This person literally jumps out of the plane with a big grin on his face and he lands effortlessly on the ground as if great heights are not an issue to him at all. He looks around the area and he even tries to look over people as if searching for one certain individual. But that guy…that _man_ looks a lot like Kyuubi! The same mocha colored skin with the same caramel demon Kabuki haircut, only longer this time. His figure is not scrawny anymore. It's like a cross-over between buff and slender toned. He has hard firm looking muscles but he's not too big. His face sure looks more angular than it did when he was a kid and his eyes are not so big on his face anymore but those are all just signs that his body has grown and finally gained some maturity. Maybe.

Kyuubi didn't change at all! He's still the same! Still trying to look like the badass punk, which he actually looks like, and he still has those same whimsical, teasing blood red eyes. When Naruto realizes who he is, his breath is literally stolen away. His brother is here. His brother is really here…and damn is he hot!

But then Kyuubi looks back at the plane and he appears to be telling someone off but in a 'lay off, will ya. I'm happy' way. When that person exits off the plane, the correct way, the wind is instantly back inside of Naruto and he wants to bulge his eyes out at what he's seeing. Walking off of the plane, looking cool and collected unlike the similar age man he's talking to, is the second most beautiful man Naruto has ever met, right next to Kyuubi, but also very familiar. That man in his early twenties is definitely the well-toned, slender built. He looks a little skinny compared to Kyuubi but he's probably just as strong Naruto can guess. In the bright sunny light, his porcelain skin really stands out and almost gives him a pale look, but a very good pale look. He has long black, mid-length that's tied in a low pony tail and chin length bangs to frame his angular face perfectly. The way his face is shaped and how his eyes almost look black from far away like brilliant onyx stones or shiny satin, that man looks a lot like Sasuke. Two extreme differences are that this man looks really mature and really composed, and he has two deep-set lines running down from his eyes that Naruto knows for a fact was inherent from his father; Uchiha Fugaku.

This man that's with Kyuubi, trying to talk to the older Uzumaki brother like coming to Konoha from the terrible conditions of Kirigakure was something done regularly, is Uchiha Itachi! It has to be! Naruto can't think of any other person who comes from Kirigakure and looks exactly like him from head to toe. It's impossible because there is probably no one in the world who can match up to an Uchiha's natural beauty. But this all means that Itachi is alive.

Sasuke's brother is alive!

* * *

><p>In the hallways of the airportmedical building, Sasuke is running. He's running as hard and as fast as he can to the airport section where the refugees are supposed to be coming in. Never in his life has he run like this and so desperately too. Not even when he was in Kirigakure and he had to leave but he has a very good reason now to why he's running so hard. Because Karin told him that his brother is alive and is on the plane with Kyuubi coming here right now.

He couldn't believe it at first but Karin had proof. The list of the refugees and even medical records.

_Six minutes ago…_

"_But Uzumaki Kyuubi isn't the only one who's coming here, Sasuke! You need to get to the airport section, immediately! The plane just landed."_

_There became a moment of silence between the three of them for a moment. As the other nurses and doctors keep scurrying around to help their patients, no one paid any mind to them. Sasuke has this weird feeling in his gut by those words alone and with her big red eyes behind her square glasses looking at him worry excitement and patience wearing thin the longer the Uchiha stands there and stare at her. Raising his brow, and very cautious, Sasuke asks, "Karin, what do you mean Karin isn't the only one coming here?"_

_Both Karin and Suigetsu know that Sasuke is not this dense or this stupid but is the news so shocking that he can't even think straight right now. That the very possibility of what she's intending is too implausible for him to even consider it. In his brain, he's getting what she's saying. He's just too stunned to believe it._

"_Sasuke!" she finally raises her voice to see if it'll get through to him that way. "What I mean is Uchiha Itachi is accompanying him! Your brother is alive and he's coming here."_

_Similar to what happened last night with Naruto, Sasuke's eyes go completely wide and his face becomes blank of all emotions except for shock as both his brain and his voice goes out the window. Even Suigetsu is surprised to hear this bit of news and a long silence is shared between them. His heart is pounding loudly and hard in his ribcage and his body is shaking with each fast beat. As the other two now watch him in silence as if they were watching the maximum climax of a TV-drama, it took a while before Sasuke could find his brain and his voice again. His brain coming first._

"_A…Are you sure it's my brother?" he asks, carefully and a little hesitant._

_Don't tell Karin that he's in denial about this! It would be understanding but this is crucial!_

"_Sasuke, I'm sure! Look, look!" Going to the clipboard in her hand, she flips page upon page until she gets one specific. "I have the list right here. Here!"_

_Passing the clipboard to the shocked Uchiha, he stumbles with it before looking at the list, Suigetsu looking over his shoulder to look as well, and sure enough at the bottom at least two names above Uzumaki Kyuubi's is Uchiha Itachi._

_But…that still can't be possible! Sasuke saw his brother get washed away in the tsunami. There's no way he could have survived!_

_Still seeing the disbelief mixed with denial on the teenager's face, Karin quickly tells him, "We even have his medical records! Come with me." She grabs his arm and starts leading him to the direction of the direction behind him where the office is. With nothing better to do and want to see for himself if the red-head's words are true, Suigetsu follows. Still going unnoticed by the other nurses and doctors, the three of them reach the office and instantly, Karin releases Sasuke so she could open up the cabinets and search high and low for the medical records they received only yesterday to prepare themselves for both the wounded refugees and the new citizens of Konoha. After looking through the third cabinet, she finally found them._

"_U…U…U…ha!" Taking out one file, she rushes back to Sasuke and does the honor of opening it and holding it for him. "See! See! We even have his picture!"_

_Now Sasuke really can't believe his eyes as he looks at the file and the picture. Sure enough, it reads name – Uchiha Itachi, age – 23, height – 178 cm, weight – 58 kg, birthday – June 9, and blood type – AB. Besides the age, height, and weight, the birthday and the blood type is exactly accurate to Sasuke's brother. As he quickly reads the file even more, there are mentions of at the age of thirteen, when the massive tsunami of Kirigakure occurred, he was found as one of the rescued three days prior to the tsunami. He was found barely alive under the remains of houses with broken legs, several shattered ribs, sever muscle tears, a broken arm that was nearly ripped out of his socket, and a serious head injury. It was a miracle he survived at all that day. His recovery must have taken years after that, even with the several surgeries to keep him out of the danger zone. At the time after that tsunami, the transportation from Kirigakure to anywhere was almost impossible. His condition also probably prevented him from moving anywhere to get the expert medical attention he needed. Moving was way out of the question then._

_And that's what took his stay in Kirigakure longer…_

_Kyuubi promised he'll come for Naruto and him with Itachi once he found him. So probably when Kyuubi finally found him, he was helping him recover. The two of them were inseparable like normal brothers in their way. They wouldn't abandon each other even when they didn't get along most of the time._

_Then after staring for the longest time of the list of injuries his brother suffered and the medical treatment he had to go through because of it, Sasuke finally gains the courage to raise his eyes a little higher and look at the picture of the man of his file. Sure enough as soon as he saw it, he instantly made the similarities in looks. The facial features that remind him so much of his mother, the skin tone and the color of hair and eye combination that only an Uchiha could have, and the lines on his face inherited from his father; there is no mistaking it. That's his brother. Older and the most gorgeous creature he has ever seen but it's him! That's Itachi!_

As soon as Sasuke finally accepted the truth, he passed the file to Karin and started sprinting it out of the hospital section. It's almost funny that only when he's running like the devil is on his heels out of there did the other nurses and doctors notice him. Some call for him, asking what was wrong but he didn't slow down or stop to answer. His mind is hell bent on one thing and one thing only. Seeing his brother!

Right now Sasuke doesn't care if he sees him in a wheelchair and hears that he can never walk again or breathe on his own because of his shattered ribs. All the teenager wants is to see him. Just to see him!

* * *

><p><em>Ring, ring, ring<em>

"Oh come on, teme! Answer the god damn phone! Shit," the spiky blonde curses as he glares down at his phone.

After realizing right away who the guy talking to his brother is, Naruto goes straight for the cell phone in his pocket and instantly dialed Sasuke's number that he has on speed dial. But the guy doesn't answer. For all he knows, Sasuke probably left his phone at the apartment to prevent Naruto from calling him.

Damn him! This is critical here!

"Naruto!"

Then one voice instantly melts away his anger and he feels a strong sense of nostalgia.

Looking up when he heard his name, the spiky blonde sees his brother calling out, "Hey, little brother! You're here, aren't you?" Then Itachi places his hand on Kyuubi's shoulders, probably telling him to control himself since there are other people here. However, some of these people didn't even acknowledge that Kyuubi said anything at all.

_SLAM_

The sound of that made Naruto nearly jump out of his skin. Turning around, he sees one side of the door of the airport/hospital building pushed opened, slammed against the wall and Sasuke being the one to have done it. Looks like Naruto didn't have to call him after all, he thinks, but why is he here? Does he know?

The Uchiha has one hand on his knee, leaning against it as he takes the moment to breathe from their slightly long distance away from each other, Naruto can hear the heavy deep panting of his friend and he can see the sweat starting to form on the sides of his face. Did he run all the way from the medical unit? He must know then! The blonde has never seen the guy look so tired out by running in his life. Someone at the medical unit must have told him!

"Oi, teme!" Naruto calls, waving his arm from where he stands. Kyuubi and Itachi heard him.

The Uchiha takes in one more deep breath before looking up to where he heard his name and he sees the spiky blonde waving his arm and smiling at him. "I told you if my brother's alive then so is yours! My brother never breaks his promise!"

When the two older brothers turn to look in their direction, their passive or curious glances literally blink away and became replaced with extreme surprise/shock. They couldn't exactly see Naruto, since he's still on the ground, except for his raised arm, but they see Sasuke at the doors looking in the direction of the waving arm. They recognize him instantly. How else has porcelain pale skin, dark onyx eyes, and spiky raven black hair that defies all natural laws of gravity. Itachi is practically frozen in place at the sight of him and how beautifully his body has grown and matured throughout the years.

Sasuke exhales loudly one more time before telling the Uzumaki, "Can you shut up for once, you dope?" He didn't take offense to that. The smile just brightens and widens more on his face. But what really makes him look so happy at long last is that Sasuke doesn't look like his usual pain-in-the-ass self anymore. He looks exhausted but there's still a bit of disbelief in his eyes and yet a strong desire to know that what's happening right now is not a dream. Everything is real and what he's here for is real and not some cruel prank to revive his hope long lost. He almost looks like how he used to before they were separated from their families.

Then the Uchiha looks up into the crowd to see if he can find them. He doesn't see them in the crowd. Only when he looks up at the plane does he see them and he catches his breathe at the sight of the man who the file so claims to be his brother. Maybe it's a little impossible to see clearly if the person you're looking at is the very person you've been wanting to see for so long but Sasuke has 20-20 vision and the person he's looking at is looking at him in still the stunned shock with an demon-cut orange head standing right next to him. How can Sasuke deny this possibility anymore? His heart is about to burst out of his chest and explode, his legs shaking and is about to give out under him – not with exhaustion, and he can feel the one thing he hasn't felt in over ten years rise up and nearly choke him to prevent him speaking.

He feels like he's about to cry.

"Ni…Nii-san!" he calls. Itachi comes back to reality when he heard that, seeing fully now that the teenager truly is his little brother. The little boy he cherished above all else and the little boy who he saw calling and crying for him from behind a glass wall before he was plunged away by a vending machine.

Without a response back or a second thought, Itachi runs from Kyuubi's side. The older Uzumaki is a bit surprise, coming back to earth when the dark haired Uchiha passed his eyes, and he tries to call for his friend but the guy is long gone. Seeing him running towards his way, Sasuke does the same. He pushes himself a little more and sprints towards his brother. Both Naruto and Kyuubi keep their eyes on the Uchihas as they run through the crowds of people, Itachi having more of a difficult time than Sasuke. Some of these people didn't even seem to acknowledge them while they squeeze through or push them aside to get out of the way.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke calls one more time, seeing Itachi and him getting closer and closer. It made Itachi want to run faster and push his legs harder so he could finally reach his baby brother – despite the limitations the doctors have told him when he was finally able to walk.

Then they're finally in reach of each other. Sasuke reaches his hand out towards his brother and Itachi grasps it as soon as he could. Without another second wasted, Itachi pulls Sasuke to him and the teenager instantly clings to him, his arms around the his brother's waist and Itachi's arms wrapped him nice and tight to never ever let him go again.

"Sasuke," the older Uchiha soft calls, greatly relieved to finally say that name again with the boy right in front of him. It surely made the younger Uchiha very happy to at last hear his name being called with this velvety voice, smoother than chocolate and sweeter than honey. Sasuke wanted to squeeze the very life out of him but the list of injuries appear in his head and it prevents him from doing so. "My dear otouto. You're so beautiful. I've missed you so much."

Sasuke, who really should be nearly completely out of breath, expresses, "I still can't believe it." Pulling back just a bit so he could look at Itachi's face, a face he longed to see after so very long, he adds, "You're alive. But I surely thought you drowned that day."

Then to his pleasure and happiness, Itachi smiles at the boy's silliness. His beautiful, gentle, soft smile that always made Sasuke feel warm, safe, and loved on this miserable planet. Tenderly tracing his fingertips on his cheek, Itachi tells his little brother, "I would never leave you, Sasuke. I'm your big brother and big brothers are always there for their little ones. Not even death could change that."

"We were just separated because of a pair of broken legs, right?" Sasuke asks him. When he did, it startles the older Uchiha. He didn't expect him to say that, or know about it. Answering his unspoken question, "I volunteer at the medical unit of the Kirigakure Rescue Foundation. I saw your health records before I came here."

And here Itachi thought he would have to slowly explain that situation to a hysterical teenager to try and make him understand. That's what happens with Uchihas. Never put expectations on them. They will always rise above them.

"Too bad," Itachi says, the smile returning to his face. "I was hoping to keep out the graphic details the records probably had about my injuries."

"Trust me, I've seen worst. But yours is by far the most believable I've ever seen." Moving his arms so his hands could rise up to the older man's face, his fingers lightly touch Itachi's cheeks as he asks, "But you really meant what you just said to me? You'll never leave me again? You'll always stay by my side forever? You'll hold me and never let me go for as long as we live?"

Why does it sound like he's making his brother repeat a wedding vow? But keeping one arm around the boy's slim waist, Itachi's other hand goes to the back of Sasuke's head and cups it as his fingers become lost in those soft raven tress. As the younger Uchiha's arms begin to circle around his neck, Itachi tells him, "I'll be here so long as you need me."

Now the tears are coming up to the surface and they roll down the young Uchiha's face. "Then never do anything so stupid as stay behind to get killed!" Then his arms wrap firmly around Itachi's neck and he presses every line of his body against his. Itachi holds him back just as equally tight and inside, he couldn't agree more to his little brother's words.

…

"Excuse me! Coming through! Ugh, pardon! Just let me…let me get through!" Naruto exclaims, squeezing through the last bit of people before he finally caught up to Sasuke.

After moving through a rather tight squeeze actually, Naruto takes a small breather. Then when he looks up, he dares not say a word. He sees his best friend and his brother finally reunited after the years of waiting, the years of wondering, the years of despairing, and the years of lost hope. At last the blonde sees the guy happy, even as he's silently sobbing on his older brother's shoulder. It just warms his heart greatly to see this. After everything he's been through, Sasuke finally deserves some peace.

Then without warning, darkness covers Naruto's vision.

"Eh!" he exclaims surprised.

Naruto can feel a hand over his eyes, which explains the darkness, but right when his hands grasp these to pry them off, he hears someone say to him in his ear, "So they can have a sweet family reunion while I had to sneak up on you from behind to get me to notice you, little brother?"

Kyuubi!

Naruto is stunned when he hears the actual roughness and smooth texture of his voice. It's definitely different than the last time the spiky blonde heard it. But it's still Kyuubi's voice none the less. Unknown to him, a sweet smile appears on the orange's head face and he pulls Naruto close to him, the boy's back now pressed against his chest, and he relaxes completely in the very well-missed warmth of this still shorter, smaller innocent body.

Softly greeting, "Hey, Naruto. I've missed ya, kiddo."

"I knew…"

That slightly startles the older Uzumaki when he heard that. Looking at his little brother's face, he can see the boy gritting his teeth together as his bottom lip quivers and then he begins to feel wet tears leaking through the bottom of his hand down Naruto's face. The blonde repeats again, "I knew you were still alive…I knew…"

Is Naruto more emotional about this than Kyuubi gave him credit for?

Before the older Uzumaki could progress that thought, Naruto pulls Kyuubi's hands off his face and the orange-head got a moment of seeing the crystal clear tears leaking out of his little brother's eyes before the spiky blonde hugs and clings on to him almost like a desperate lover. This startles him greatly. Kyuubi's starting to feel the tears leaking through his shirt as the grip becomes tighter and Naruto buries his face more into his firm muscle chest.

"Waaahhh!" he cries, his scream muffled by Kyuubi's chest. "Onii-san! Onii-san!"

Hearing that nickname again, it affects Kyuubi in a serious way; something clearly different than his joking, lay-back personality. This right here in his arms is his little brother who was crying and screaming for him to get on the plane as they were leaving for Konoha. This boy that was pleading him not to leave him. And Kyuubi had the nerve to have their reunion start off with a 'Guess Who' game.

Wrapping his arms around the sobbing boy, Kyuubi coos him just like how mother used to do it, "Shh, shh, it's okay, little brother. It's okay. I'm here now. I'm here and I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

Hearing those words it calms him down a bit. The way Kyuubi is holding him, with his arms so protectively and securely around him with his hand petting his head to ease his grieving soul, in a way it makes Naruto feel like a child again. Sniffing once or twice before he attempts to talk, Naruto asks, "Really? Never ever?"

Kyuubi grins when he heard that. "Hey, have I broken any promises to you yet?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No."

"Then I'm not about to start now. You're stuck with me for life because that's what brothers do when they survive the tragedy of Kirigakure. Don't you think?"

He really shouldn't joke about that but just for now, Naruto will let it go. Smiling in complete and utter peace, he replies, "Absolutely."

* * *

><p><em><strong>I dedicate this story to the tragedy of Japan on March 11, 2011 and all who were affected by it. Never give up hope no matter what because we are here to help you.<strong>_

_**Sayonara**_


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